1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a container such as a garbage pail and a cover for the container constructed and arranged to incorporate a variety of features that facilitate the locking and unlocking of the cover over the container using a simple construction that makes it relatively easy to operate and to fabricate component parts of rigid construction that reduces the likelihood of distorting the component parts during use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional garbage pails are fabricated from relatively thin material. Such containers and their lids are not very rigid usually, and tend to become distorted after prolonged use. Covers which depend on a frictional lock between the lid and the container often become so distorted or worn that they lose their locking function completely. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation and general aging cause fatigue in plastics that leads to failure.
It becomes annoying to use covers that are distorted, being either too loose or too tight. If too loose, the lid cannot be locked onto its container and animals can readily open the container to strew garbage awaiting collection. If too tight or complicated, sanitation companies removing garbage from residential-type garbage cans find it time-consuming to remove the lid. If one of the cooperating members loses its shape, or if its locking element breaks or wears off, animals get ready access to the contents which may lead to unsanitary, unhealthy and/or unsafe conditions, particularly in the vicinity of an open can.
Various devices and measures have been suggested to overcome the aforesaid problems. These suggested solutions have included complicating the structure of the container and/or lid by adding attachment means such as springs, ropes, or chains for attachment to the lid to secure the lid to the can even when the latter is open. These additional parts increase the chance of fatigue, which leads to breakage of the additional parts. Keyhole slots, which have also been suggested, are not practical for use with thin gauge lids or containers, because forming keyholes in thin lids or containers may distort and/or weaken the lids or containers.
Recently, this art developed an open top container having a plurality of circumferentially spaced curved slots near the top of the pail constructed and arranged to receive a plurality of small slot-engaging nodules extending downwardly and inwardly from a rim for the cover. In order to cover the container, it is necessary that each nodule engages a corresponding curved slot in such a manner that the lid fits precisely over the container in exact alignment therewith. Slotting the container near its upper end weakens the structure locally, thus increasing the likelihood of distortion and increasing the time needed to align the cover to an exact orientation around the circumference of the container to insure a close fit between the lid and the container. Such a structure is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,170 to Ciancimino.
Other patents discovered during a novelty search include U.S. Pat. No. 1,369,646 (Fuller); U.S. Pat. No. 1,634,569 (Bray); U.S. Pat. No. 1,841,882 (DeFrancisci); U.S. Pat. No. 1,948,953 (Wayer); U.S. Pat. No. 2,148,169 (Merolle); U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,582 (Martinelli); U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,383 (Rowlands); U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,777 (Blanke); U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,376 (Bushby); U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,686 (Penisi); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,114 (Terbrusch). None of these prior art patents anticipate the novel combination of structural elements found in the embodiments of this invention to be described herein.